Alexander L. Belikoff reviewed Behind Closed Doors by Esther Derby
Review of 'Behind Closed Doors' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
This is a pretty good book for a new manager (note, that this definitely should not be the only one - it just doesn't cover enough). It gives a decent glimpse into the basic challenges of team/people management.
In that capacity and at that level, the book is great. The examples are fine at this level, but hopelessly simplistic if you try to get just a bit deeper. They also start showing their age: a strict hierarchy, where a Manager sits in his office and divines the decrees on their lieutenants is no longer as pervasive, especially in the technology field.
Still, it is a great tool for a new manager to avoid most common pitfalls when it comes to dealing with both a team of people, a bunch of projects and a product strategy. I cannot say I've discovered anything eye opening when reading it, but it was a …
This is a pretty good book for a new manager (note, that this definitely should not be the only one - it just doesn't cover enough). It gives a decent glimpse into the basic challenges of team/people management.
In that capacity and at that level, the book is great. The examples are fine at this level, but hopelessly simplistic if you try to get just a bit deeper. They also start showing their age: a strict hierarchy, where a Manager sits in his office and divines the decrees on their lieutenants is no longer as pervasive, especially in the technology field.
Still, it is a great tool for a new manager to avoid most common pitfalls when it comes to dealing with both a team of people, a bunch of projects and a product strategy. I cannot say I've discovered anything eye opening when reading it, but it was a nice refresher of the basics.
Bottom line: not the "be all, end all" books on management, but it gives a good advice and is a good starter for those new to management.
